Delete Doesn't Delete???

SAAER45 · 01-24-2006, 12:29 AM

I was under the impression that when you delete a file, it permanently deletes, someone told me that traces of deleted files still remain on the hard drive, is that true? If it is, after all the use my computer has got those small traces have to add up to something (space)... So my question is, how do you permanently delete deleted files?

ckfordy · 01-24-2006, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAAER45

I was under the impression that when you delete a file, it permanently deletes, someone told me that traces of deleted files still remain on the hard drive, is that true? If it is, after all the use my computer has got those small traces have to add up to something (space)... So my question is, how do you permanently delete deleted files?

i think thats true. and i think the only way to get rid of all the deleted files is to reformat but i could be wrong.

elmarcorulz · 01-24-2006, 12:40 AM

You can recover deleted things. But if the sectors that the file used up become written over by another file, then the space is re-used and the fiule cant be recovered....if ya see what i mean

SAAER45 · 01-24-2006, 01:21 AM

So if I used an un-eraser I would restore the file remnants that haven't been written over, then I could use Killbox or Windows Washers to permanently delete those files, and that would do the trick?

spacedude89 · 01-24-2006, 01:26 AM

umm, i dont think so. easiest thing to do is just fill up the hard drive, then unfill it. like copy a dvd to the hard drive of something. that should overwrite it.

**DCIScouts** · 01-24-2006, 01:42 AM

Yeah, all deleting does is earmark that sector of the hard drive to be written over by the operating system (yes deleting not recycling-the difference between those two is that the recycling option does the same thing, just allows the operating to easily access the file again.) Anyway, you can also get some drive washing software that should get rid of the files that are "deleted" or erasing. I've seen programs entitled "Drive Washer" and "Drive Eraser" or something that I beleive this was their primary function.

SAAER45 · 01-24-2006, 01:51 AM

http://killdisk.com/
http://www.compusa.com/products/prod...520&pfp=BROWSE
Yah, but those get rid of every single thing on the hard drive, right? I still want all my programs and documents and stuff, I just want to permantly delete files put in the recycling bin, which according to you doesn't really delete it...

SAAER45 · 01-24-2006, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacedude89

umm, i dont think so. easiest thing to do is just fill up the hard drive, then unfill it. like copy a dvd to the hard drive of something. that should overwrite it.

So your saying that if I put more information on the hard drive than was deleted (say I have deleted 10GB and then put on another file of 11GB) then that deleted 10GB would be overwritten completely by the 11GB

[-0MEGA-] · 01-24-2006, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAAER45

So your saying that if I put more information on the hard drive than was deleted (say I have deleted 10GB and then put on another file of 11GB) then that deleted 10GB would be overwritten completely by the 11GB

most likely not, because the segments that the 11GB used may not be the same ones that the 10GB used. But i've heard of program that delete a file and write over it numerous times.

SAAER45 · 01-24-2006, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geoff5093

most likely not, because the segments that the 11GB used may not be the same ones that the 10GB used. But i've heard of program that delete a file and write over it numerous times.

So you are saying that if I use an uneraser to bring back all the deleted files that haven't been overwritten and then use one of those programs (I think one of them is called Window Washer) to overwrite those files then that would clear the deleted files completely?

01-24-2006, 12:29 AM	#1 (permalink)
SAAER45 Diamond Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,161	Delete Doesn't Delete??? I was under the impression that when you delete a file, it permanently deletes, someone told me that traces of deleted files still remain on the hard drive, is that true? If it is, after all the use my computer has got those small traces have to add up to something (space)... So my question is, how do you permanently delete deleted files? __________________ One has not only a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

01-24-2006, 12:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
elmarcorulz VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: UK Age: 22 Posts: 6,033	You can recover deleted things. But if the sectors that the file used up become written over by another file, then the space is re-used and the fiule cant be recovered....if ya see what i mean __________________ C2D E6300 @ 2.6Ghz Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 2GB DDR2 667 1TB (1x500GB 2x250GB HDD) BFG 8800GTS 320MB PFC Til I Die

01-24-2006, 01:21 AM	#4 (permalink)
SAAER45 Diamond Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,161	So if I used an un-eraser I would restore the file remnants that haven't been written over, then I could use Killbox or Windows Washers to permanently delete those files, and that would do the trick? __________________ One has not only a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

01-24-2006, 01:26 AM	#5 (permalink)
spacedude89 Diamond Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Oregon Age: 19 Posts: 1,419	umm, i dont think so. easiest thing to do is just fill up the hard drive, then unfill it. like copy a dvd to the hard drive of something. that should overwrite it. __________________ Desktop: Abit AW9D-MAX ~ Core 2 Duo E6300 @ 2.4GHz ~ Radeon X1900GT Laptop: HP ~ Core Duo T2050 ~ nVidia 7600 First smiles, then lies. Last comes gunfire.

01-24-2006, 01:42 AM	#6 (permalink)
DCIScouts Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA Age: 26 Posts: 5,262	Yeah, all deleting does is earmark that sector of the hard drive to be written over by the operating system (yes deleting not recycling-the difference between those two is that the recycling option does the same thing, just allows the operating to easily access the file again.) Anyway, you can also get some drive washing software that should get rid of the files that are "deleted" or erasing. I've seen programs entitled "Drive Washer" and "Drive Eraser" or something that I beleive this was their primary function. __________________ In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. -Martin Luther King Jr. The most overlooked advantage to owning a computer is that if they foul up there's no law against wacking them around a little. -Joe Martin FOLDING FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND :F@H Team 44358 Posting and you - CF Edition Cheers CF

01-24-2006, 01:51 AM	#7 (permalink)
SAAER45 Diamond Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,161	http://killdisk.com/ http://www.compusa.com/products/prod...520&pfp=BROWSE Yah, but those get rid of every single thing on the hard drive, right? I still want all my programs and documents and stuff, I just want to permantly delete files put in the recycling bin, which according to you doesn't really delete it... __________________ One has not only a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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